Lost Trail Pass

I was in the field ahead of the brunt of the precipitation event today, so this obsevation is more about the new snow interface than how accumulating snow is reacting. 

Overall, small amounts of new snow sitting on very stout crusts on all aspects except for steep north facing terrain, where new snow sits on decomposing dry snow. On test slopes exposed to wind, I could trigger small wind slabs 3-5 inches deep, running fast on the crust interface. In steeper terrain unnafected by wind, new snow was behaving as dry loose avalanches which could be mitigated through good slough management. 

I have high confidence in reactive wind slabs Sunday and Monday. My primary question is whether the new snow in non wind affected terrain will behave as dry loose or begin to form a storm slab that fails on the crust interface. Not enough data was gathered today to make that decision with confidence. 

Shooting cracks within the new snow, failing at the new snow/ crust interface. D1 avalanches on test slopes.